Friday, 30 April 2010

Over at Winter Wonderland we have been playing with making gift card holders for Christmas. I enjoyed it so much I thought I would have a go at making a non Christmassy one for a friends birthday. Ive used left overs from the last commission card I did using the tutorial in Craft Stamper. The colours are adirondack lettuce and denim applied with a shaving brush! Then I have crackle stamped it with a Tim holtz stamp in denim and then again with a paperartsy clock stamp in denim. The leaves around the edges have been stamped with archival black using a stampin up stamp. The bird is from Graphicus and not sure about the explore imagine dream stamp.

I have adjusted the measurements to fit this fab tag from 7 Gypsies which I picked up on my last Graphicus trip. Edges lightly brushed with denim and a seal stamp by stampin up saying Happy Bithday to finish. Around the bottom I have added some navy ribbon and a little celebrate metal embelishment. Now all I have to do is buy the gift card! If you like the idea of making gift card wallets there are a number of them listed over here You can see my Christmas one hereHappy Friday blog Buddies x

* just to answer the questions about the brush - yes it was applied using the brush in circular movements the results are a smooth layer of colour. Have a babywipe flat on your surface and once you have finished, with the colour, circular movements on to the wipe removes the ink. You will need 3 brushes 1 for light colours, 1 for medium colours and one for darks. The brushes Ive been using were 99p from Boyes. At first they loose a few bristles but this doesnt affect their performance. I also trimmed the tops of the bristles so they were more even. Hope that helps x

Wednesday, 28 April 2010

I have 2 huge favours to ask of my visitors.The first is to visit a friends blog and look at her stunning art, maybe become a follower and it would be great if you left a comment - see here

The second is a little bit of a bigger favour!I have a nine piece jigsaw which when made up is 12 x 12 inches square. I would like a piece of art along the theme of home and wondered if 8 of my followers would help me make it. I will send you a jigsaw piece along with a Rak I have made for you (you choose the theme) you decorate the piece then send it back to me.How does that sound? Am I being tooooo cheeky?Let me know by leaving a comment below. We would of course need to exchange addreses via email but I can do that if I get 8 takers.Fingers crossed xxThanks Janet

Tuesday, 27 April 2010

Now the lovely Michelle chose this weeks theme which was such a laugh. A couple of weeks ago we had gone to a friends for an overnight stay and I began to nag her about choosing her theme knowing it was coming soon. Ive done it she said - just cant remember what it is this went on for the whole trip she had no idea! When we got back and saw what she had chosen we were in hysterics - a memory like a sieve, a heart made of gold and talent immeasurable that's our Michelle xx

So what did memories mean to me? The picture above is me and my bro - I'm the one picking up shells. So it brought to mind this fabulous stamp.

As soon as I saw this stamp I had to have it although this is my first successful project with it. Image stamped in momento then coloured with promarkers and brushed corduroy edging. Papers are from the V&A papermania range, Martha Stewart doily edge punch, ribbon and button from stash.

Now my Fabulous team mates have done us proud yet again - I must insist you hop on over to look hereWhats more we are sponsored again by the fabulous Craft Barn with a brilliant £15 prize for the randomly chosen lucky winner. Go on share a memory with us :0)

Monday, 26 April 2010

I belong to a private forum where buddies that I have made through crafting hang out. This month I have set them an atc challenge called TIME. So here are my 3 atcs awaiting swaps.

I started off with the same background of distress inks wild honey and tumbled glass - Yes I got The Stampmans brilliant deal of £50 for all 12 - Thanks Ian :0) I added the inks with cut and dry foam then added splashed water for the faux bleached look and then dried it off afer 30 sec or so. I used wild honey to stamp the background then arhival block for the words. The stamps are all paperartsy.

The clocks are from the Stampman too.

As are the lovely letter brads on this last one. Can't remember where I got the screw brads from but they seemed to work well here.

Huge thanks for all your good wishes. I am feeling much better now and ready to face the challenges ahead. Honestly the journalling helped enormously you should give it a go!Hope the week has begun well for you x

Sunday, 25 April 2010

Now I love this flourish mask by Tim Holtz so it was what came to mind for this challenge. I've also used it as another journal tag so how I feel about what has happened this week with my health is on the reverse. Ive used purple as a thoughtful colour - adirondack inks cool peri, purple twilight and eggplant. The flourish represents how I would like my life - easy flowing with no jagged edges. The cracks represent the obvious cracks that life throws up. The stamped journalling reminds me we cant change a lot of things in our life we just have to go with the flow. The key represents the journalling itself - the key to understanding how I feel.

Wow a deep and meaningful tag from me this week - Hope you like it. My team mates have produced some stunning art so do stop by and check them out. We would love to see your "flourish" tags so leave a comment on the Tag You're it post and we will come and find you x

Saturday, 24 April 2010

Do you live in driving distance to Skipton? If so then do come over to visit the Stampman tomorrow. I am working 7-3 all weekend but managed to pop down for a while today - STUNNING demos and samples LOADS of bargains on everything you can imagine including stamps and of course the friendly faces of Jill and Ian. Goody bags for purchases over £25 - FREE. The new Tim Holtz dies, hardware, papers, distress inks all in stock - in fact an amazing offer for all 12 new colours of £50. Brilliant aspects of design stamp sheets some as low as a fiver you really cant go wrong. Im heading down again after work tomorrow for another fix and hope to see you there too!

Thursday, 22 April 2010

No pics to share Im afraid as all I managed was Christmassy on Tuesday. You can see it here though.Saw the specialist on Tuesday and was told I now have menieres disease in the other ear which was a huge surprise to me. This means I will, as the disease progresses, go totally deaf. I will be fitted with 2 hearing aids in the next 6 weeks or so. This was certainly not what I wanted to hear. I'm still adjusting to the news as it has really floored me. I had hoped I would be one of the many who only get it in one ear. Hopefully though the hearing aids will help even with the vertigo attacks so I am trying to hang onto to that as a positive. Bear with me whilst I adjust to this - I hope not to feel so gloomy next time I post xJanet

Tuesday, 20 April 2010

This weeks theme is chosen by my fab Teamie Teri - She decided as it was St Georges day on Friday we should have a Dragon week. If you are stuck for Dragons then luck would have it that Teri also has an online digi shop which sells them and we are also sponsored by tanda stamps that have a Fantastic range of Dragons too - How lucky is that?

I have to confess I have only 2 Dragons in my collection both small chinese dragons so once I had decided which to use I needed a dinky project to show it off. Perfect timing from another TT Teamie, Emma, as she sent me a dinky paperclip decoration through the post. Perfect Emma - Loved it and my Dragon fit perfectly in the 1 and a quarter inch punch then the scallop circle punch completed the look.

You will notice I have embossed the dragon in gold - thats because I have fallen in love with embossing all over again thanks to the Winter Wonderland challenge which runs until Thursday. The stripy paperclips also added to the look.

Hop on over to Tuesday Taggers and see my fabulous team mates work - Stunning. really stunning!

A crafting day for me today then to the hospital to see the consultant about my Menieres - first time since I had my balance organs checked so I am a little anxious to say the least. Hope your Tuesday is a happy one!

Sunday, 18 April 2010

We are feeling all spring like over on Tag You're it with this gorgeous spell of sunshine. When I saw this title it made me think of this flower immediately as its from the Blonde Moments Spring Fling collection. The colours on the tag are also with that collection as is the little flowers stamp too. I've used Sunshine yellow, citrus and orange from the adirondack ink pad range to create the stripes of colour. The flower is embossed with clear powder onto white then painted with pearl pigment powders again by blonde moments. The lovely sentiment was given to me by my craft buddy Emma x Ta Chuck x Emma also gave me the extra bling for the flowers. A little knot of yellow ribbon finishes it off. As I told you before I have started using the tags for journalling so I have added my thoughts about flowers on the back too.If you fancy a gander at the blonde moments range they can be found here.Hope this gorgeous weather is making you feel spring like - leave a comment on the Tag You're it blog after you have made your tag and we will come and find spring at yours xx Happy Sunday Taggers xJanets

Thursday, 15 April 2010

A couple of cards I squeezed in last night after stamping my labels. For no particular occasion just beacause I wanted to! The above is papermania papers, ribbon and charm from stash and the sentiment from stampin up.

This one is a 5 1/2 inch easel card - the background card was initially made at The stampman - not sure about the colours as they are the new Tim Holtz ones which I have not got. Clock, brown swirl and sentiment are paperartsy . The rabbit is an internet download I dont know from which site as I was given it by Jill on Saturday. I've added a coin charm and 3 brads as accents. The rabbit is raised up with silicone glue.

Im off to visit a friend in Catterick tomorrow and we are going to Graphicus again so am really looking forward to that!

Wednesday, 14 April 2010

Here we are at Wednesday again already I must be getting old as time really seems to fly by these days. Another WOYWW picture. Here is my project for tonight. Stamping these journalling stmps onto kraft card to use in my National Scrapbooking day project. I bought these stamps from The Craft Emporium and think they are brilliant for allsorts of journalling but specifically for the 2 main mini book projects I have got in mind for my craft group this year.

Last week I had comments about the pictures I have hanging from my shelves. I put the nails up mainly to hold things for inspiration or my favourite atcs of the moment etc but like most of the house I have also hung pictures of those I love to have around me. So from Right to left - the image is from a little mini tutorial Katy gave me almost 2 years ago with prisma pencils - got some, tried them but couldnt get on with them but the pic reminds me about shading and I aspire to do it one day! Next is my eldest son Tom - this was taken about 5 years ago now but I love that "trying to look thoughful pose" and even though he is 22 hes still my baby xx Next picture is from 3 years ago on National Scrapbooking day. we were making an envelope mini book using vellum envelopes it was fiddly but fun. The next photo is of my Pals Elaine and Jo. A treasured pic since Jo moved to Aus almost 2 years ago now.

continuing from the right the tickets that inspired me to make the journalling tags in Kraft card - really like the look so these were there to remind me to do them. Next on is a pic of my daughter Meghan - again its 3 years ago now the baby of the family is growing up. This is when she used to craft alongside me now she does more sketching and computer graphics rather than papercrafting. Like this Next to that is a fab tag atc from Carol V on the docraft forum. I like the whole composition of the atc and also the fact it is black and white - thats an inspiration piece! Then I have some screw brads - not sure why they are hung there LOL. then a pic of my Middle son James again about 3 years old the pic. He's now a Man a scary thought LOL. Just missing off the pic is a photo of my neice and nephew. Not sure their parents would like them on the internet so to be on the safe side I have left them out of the pic.

You can also see my new stamp storage with the files - Im hoping to keep them tider and accesible - see how long that lasts LOL. So there we ahve it! Im off for a nosey at your work desks now LOL!

Tuesday, 13 April 2010

Over on Tuesday Taggers we are celebrating Emmas birthday with cakes and ballooons - and because we like to be different Emma is giving away 2 pressies to 2 lucky winners - how cool is that?

My card has just cakes and is another easel card. This image from Pink gem designs seemed perfect! coloured with promarkers, the papers are by papermania, ribbon and lace from stash. Not too complicated.

As usual my team mates have produced the most stunning creations do hop on over for a look and also for a sneaky peek at Emmas fab prize!

Monday, 12 April 2010

From one of the team leaders at work. Jacci is the main reason I craft as she introduced me to scrapbooking 5 years ago - I jumped on the craft bus and have stopped at most destinations for a play since then LOL!

My brief was -" a card for my Sister - its a special birthday - can you do something Tim Holtzy" Wow - no pressure there then - Tim's style is quite eclectic and also more in earthy colours than the usual pinks/ oranges/purples I do for ladies cards. Any way was chatting over this with another lady at work who dabbles with craft - we were looking through the craft stamper magazine and found the fab article on layering by Lisebeth Fidder (p8). Between us we thought that look was perfect for the request so last night I got to work.

I had also been at The stamping course on Saturday and Jill had a fabulous Easel card which was about 8" square so I decided to try for that look. I first stippled denim and lettuce adirondack ink into white card - my friend Michelle reminded me about this technique and I remembered I had 4 little brushes and a large one - the coverage is much more even than with the cut and dry application. I then stamped with denim a crackle stamp by Tim Holtz all over and dried it with the heat gun and added the clock face stamp - again by Tim Holtz to the card. I have then used other Tim Holtz stamps stamped in black to add the final layers.

I was excited about the look by then so rooted out some letter brads to spell sister and friend then added those too. For the base bit I repeated the whole process but over stamped with a Happy birthday stamp which i think is by Anita. The Main image is a Crafty Individuals stamp, stamped then inked in the same way as the base card - then matted and layered first onto silver, then black then blue before finally matting onto the main card. I added a shrink plastic clock face which we had been playing with on Saturday and that seemed just enough!

If you have read the article you will know there was a stage for adding gesso - I did try it but my inks ran so I abandoned that but do really love this layering look. Again thanks to The Craft Stamper I've had real fun playing. I had a go at another project from December which is on my other blog which you can find here

So I am entering this into the Sunday Stampers challenge which is to use silver on your projects. I really had fun with this but have real inky fingers now LOL!Happy Monday Blogging Buddies x

Sunday, 11 April 2010

I have been living the dream this week as last sunday the Tag You're it! team invited me to join them - honestly I've gone all goosebumpy just typing the words. I accepted immediately and have been loving looking and commenting on everyones tag since then. This now means I am on the team for three of the best challenges in blogland Tag You're It! Tuesday Taggers and Winter Wonderland - My blogging life is FANTASTIC thanks so much ladies.

So the first challenge as a team member was to use Acetate. Not something I use a great deal but I have played a bit with it. I have also been putting together a project for National Scrapbooking Day which I have celebrated for 3 years - this is my fourth - we are having an all day crop on the 8th May and making a mini scrapbook/ tag album/ journal with a holiday feel. So you are getting a sneaky peak of the colours Ive been working with.

I have stamped onto an acetate panel then layered paper and card stock around it. The papers are by stampin up I think from mini catalogue last year. The card stock is also by stampin up - my lovely friend Emma supplies me with my stash! The flower is actually just cut from the DP and layered up with a button from stash. The tab punch is also from Stampin up and works perfectly for tags - this will now fit into a pocket of the scrapbook/ journal thing I am working on so I will share that too soon.So hope that makes you want to rush off and play with acetate - dont forget to leave us a comment on tag you're it so I can come and keep living my dream :0)Happy Sunday x Janet

Friday, 9 April 2010

Like most of us I struggle with cards for men - it just doesn't flow easily like it does for a lady. This is a simple card Ive made for a very special Fella who really does live up to the "One of a kind" sentiment on these papers by Sandylion. Not much more than matting and layering and some ribbon from stash I'm going to pop it in the post and hope he likes it xHope your Friday is going well. The next 48 hours for me will be manic! here are my time slots!Friday 2-30 - 10-30pm work then sleep over (at work)on call.Sat 8-30am pick up by OH to go home for shower and change10am pick up by Michelle and a course at The Stampman with the fabulously talented Jill2-40pm pick up by OH from course and return to work for 3pm3-10-30pm work then sleep over (at work)on callSunday 7am -3pm work then home to collapse in a heap!Im keeping my fingers crossed that all my scheduled posts happen as this is me signing off blogger until I get home on SundayHave a great weekend too LOL xx

Wednesday, 7 April 2010

Right for a start this may not even count as I took the pics on Sunday night but I havent been back in there to craft! I share a small craft room with my Mum and like most crafters we both have too much stash (all desperately wanted when it was bought!)

The desk itself is about 4ft long however as you can see I have a craft mats worth of space and thats when its tidy LOL. Most of my friends have not seen the craft room mostly as you have to walk through my bedroom to get to it which is still un decorated and has temporary wardrobes since we moved in 2 years ago this month!

As you can see here I have my ribbons and punches close to hand.

and also my acrylic stamps, brads, perfect pearls and whats that? matches? Yes well Im collecting them for a project we are doing at craft club in September but was worried buying 12 at once would arise suspician that I was a closet arsonist!!

Here are most of our wooden stamps between us- one or two dont you think LOL

This is where we keep cardstock, card blanks, envelopes, cello bags etc.

And this is the mess underneath the desk - maybe I should not have uploaded that one LOL. The smaller draws hold my paints, spare pegs, tape, glue etc. Ive been kind and not taken Pics of Mums side - mostly as you cant see the workdesk at all - its a storage area as she finds she is more comfortable crafting downstairs.

Just in case you are wondering I live in a terraced house which is joined to my Mums terraced house. The joining door is through my bedroom. Quite handy that we can share the craft space really.

So there it is Clarky Js messy craft space - Though I must confess I also craft downstairs at times too if I need to spread out - especially for 12 x 12 scrapbooking. Thanks for looking x

Tuesday, 6 April 2010

This week on Tuesday Taggers we would like to see a tag - How perfect would it be to combine this challenge with Tag You're it! who have just relaunched their tag challenge blog this week. Our theme is open so go with what you feel but hop on over to TYI and check out their theme too! I've used a stamp by Craft Individuals which depicts friends - coloured with my new ink pads cool peri and purple twilight Ive also coloured the children in with promarkers. Some overstamping with a friend definition stamp and a swirl stamp neither make I know Im sorry.This week is sponsored by a special friend of mine Georgina and she is donating a stamp plate by Paperartsy as a prize - here is what she made with her own stamp plate of the same design.

I love it nearly as much as I love her - do hop on to her blog and have a browse and leave a comment or two it would really make her day. Check out my Fabulous Teamies too who as usual have done us proud - I love them all! You can find them hereHave a great day folks and get making those tags xx

Monday, 5 April 2010

So did you notice I have changed my name? After a day of playing in my craft room yesterday I thought it appropriate to call my blog my play space :0) Hope you are not too stuffed with eggs after yesterday!Today is a day we gather as a family as 15 years on Easter Monday (not todays actual date) my youngest Brother was killed in a road traffic accident. Its really hard to imagine he would have been 34 this year and who knows what his life would have been like. An event like that shifts your thinking and the whole family have been affected not just with the grief of course but the shift in family feelings/ dynamics. We were still reeling from the sudden death of my Father 9 months previously so Richards death was almost surreal.So today We - the remaining siblings and their families and my Mum will come together at tea time - and have a Roast Turkey meal - similar to Christmas really with oodles of bread sauce - there will be lots of jokes about who can eat the most of it - we will tease my Sis Amy, who has Downs syndrome, about not letting her have some and she will accuse us of being like My Dad a big tease - Silly Family stuff which help us remember them being with us. Kinda sad but kinda happy too - memories are all we have now so any opportunity to remember them is grasped and milked for all its worth.Yikes didnt mean to spurt out all that but hey its there now but time to move on to my real reason for posting - apart from the name change of course!

Made this sweet little notelet holder after buying a tutorial on the net. Ive had to make some adjustments to it as I wanted the cards to be a little bigger and I also wanted to fit in 10 cards not the 4 that the original one had. This is a gift for friends who have just moved home so it holds 10 change of address cards plus some extra stickers.

Ive used stampin up pastels card as it all co-ordinates beautifully and also the stamp set is from stamp in up apart from the Home Sweet Home which is a dimension fourth stamp.

Below is the inside to show how the cards are stored with the envelopes in the middle section

and a nice thick ribbon to finish it off. The front panels are stuck on with foam pads which allows a space for the ribbon to thread through - neat huh? Im entering this into the Colour Create Challenge which is pastels this week.

Hope my friends Pat and Bill like it - they should receive it on Tuesday if RM deliver on time LOL. I think next time I make one I would be a little more adventurous with my design.

Sunday, 4 April 2010

Why you may be wondering? Did I get lots of Chocolate? Has the Easter Bunny worked extra heard at our house this year? No No NoMy absolute favourite challenge blog (apart from those I DT for obviously tut)

Tag You're it is back! Hurrah! Hang out the bunting, wave your flags today is a day to celebrate! I could never bring myself to remove it from my fav blogs list and Im so glad I didn't as I wouldnt have known it was back (ok technically I would have found out from Pascale or Annes blogs anyway but that is beside the point LOL).

Anyway I have zipped up to my craft room and produced a tag for the challenge this week which is "on a bough".

Used my Adirondack inks citrus, lettuce, cloudy blue and sail boat blue for the back ground - flicked with water to distress. stamped with coffee and sepia archival inks and used various stampers anoymous stamps for the tag.

Boy has today been good! Ive struggled with the whole art journalling thing - I just dont like writing on the art Ive decided. Anyway I sat at my desk and picked up a large tag book I bought ages ago from afth. It then came in a flash they are perfect for me to journal on. Art on the front - write on the back. Its taken me a while but Ive got there in the end LOL. So I will share the fronts but the backs will be mine :0) Yay!

Get yourself over to Tag You're It and see the great DTs work- Im soooo happy they are Back!

Friday, 2 April 2010

Well Hels challenged us to use birds on our projects this week. Last night was craft club again and we were decorating either a chipboard welly or a heart - Here is my welly - whoops sorry heart :0)I painted it with gesso then when dry sponged on a coat of gold acrylic paint. Coloured some lace with distress ink and added to the edges. Distressed some yellow flowers, the edge of the Soar ticket and added them to it. The bird is from Dimension fourth and always stamps beautifully and ive coloured it with promarkers. A loop of twisted wire and ribbon knotted completes the look. - Now the wellies - there were some stunning ones being decorated last night - they were painted, stamped, covered in paper and one even was decoupatched - wow it looked stunning however i forgot my camera (even more distressing I forgot the biscuits so the were watered but not fed - whoops!) so you will have to imagine them sorry :0)